


the outsiders

by starlightdaydreams



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Community College AU, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, I try to be funny, M/M, Mutual Pining, Slow Burn, and they were ROOMMATES, coffee shop AU, eventual polyamory, literally the slowest of burns, roommates au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-01
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:26:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21636577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starlightdaydreams/pseuds/starlightdaydreams
Summary: Sonia, who has just moved to America from Novoselik, is trying to balance school, work with her cute coworker, and an apartment search. Gundham is a terribly awkward barista who sneaks his pets into work. Kazuichi is a new mechanic who tries to flirt, but just comes off as creepy.When the three of them end up being roommates, what disasters will unfold? Admist all the chaos, could sparks of romance start to fly?
Relationships: Soda Kazuichi/Tanaka Gundham, Sonia Nevermind/Soda Kazuichi, Sonia Nevermind/Soda Kazuichi/Tanaka Gundham, Sonia Nevermind/Tanaka Gundham
Comments: 25
Kudos: 146





	1. Chapter 1

"Good morning, Gundham!" Sonia cheerfully waved to her co-worker as she put on her work apron, with the logo of Cafe Monomi etched onto it.

"Uhm...good morning, Sonia." Gundham played with the fringes of the heavy scarf that he always wore. 

"God, why do you even talk to him? He's such a weirdo." Hiyoko, Sonia's other coworker, rolled her eyes. 

"He's not a weird-o." Sonia pouted, the new word feeling foreign on her tongue. She had just moved here from Novoselic less than a year ago, and many aspects of the language still felt foreign to her. She always felt the urge to defend Gundham though. He definitely dressed really differently, and talked like he was a movie supervillian - that is, when he talked at all, but some part of her found those traits endearing. 

She heard a squeak, and looked down at her feet to see a hamster. 

"Gundham..." She gently tapped him on the shoulder to let him know his pet had escaped. She had the feeling he would get fired if the hamsters were discovered. 

"Agh!" Gundham flinched away from her touch. "O-oh, it's just you. What do you need?"   
  
"Your dark de-va of d-destruction escaped." She whispered, cradling the hamster in her palms. "Aw, he's so cute!" 

"O-oh, thank you." He gently placed the hamster back inside his scarf. 

\-----------------------------------------

 _Ugh, so much grammar...so many_ _rules_....Sonia's head rang as she walked out of her intro level language class class at the local community college. She found her regular bench that she sat at while waiting for her best friend, Chiaki Nanami to pick her up. She had also been living with Chiaki since she moved here, but she had been looking at other apartments recently. While she loved her best friend, the apartment was really too small for two people. 

"H-Hey." She looked up from her seat to see a young man with bright pink hair, carrying a set of tools. "Is this seat taken?"   
  
"No, let me move my things." She pulled her backpack onto her lap so he could sit down next to her. 

"S-so, are you new around here?" The man scratched the back of his neck. _Why is his face so red? Maybe he has a fever...._

"Ah, yes, I just moved from Novoselic- it's a small country in Europe."   
  
"Wow, blonde and a foreigner? You must be a...princess? Yeah, a princess!" 

"I'm no princess..."   
  
"Plus, I've dreamed of having a blonde girlfriend ever since I was a kid...."   
  
"You've done what?" _What a weirdo!_

"Wait, no, I didn't mean it like that...."

Luckily, Chiaki's car pulled up at that exact moment, and Sonia practically sprinted to the car. 

\--------------------------------------

"Are you sure you want to check this place out?" The pretty video game developer looked at the apartment that Sonia was going to tour. "You would have two male roommates...."   
  
"Well, it's just a visit, and if I don't like it, I don't have to come back. But I want to be more independent and not sleep on your foot-bed anymore!"  
  
"My...what? Oh, you mean futon.Well, I'll be right outside if you need anything." Chiaki shifted the car into park. 

As Sonia walked up the steps to the apartment listed on her phone, she could hear what sounded like arguing from inside the apartment. 

"Who lets their pets make crumbs all over the counter right before a possible future roommate comes to visit?" 

"They are not _pets,_ they are my most trusted allies! What mortal fool breaks the dishwasher to try to examine it?"

"I was _trying_ to use the parts to build a mini rocket ship!" 

Sonia rang the doorbell. 

"Aw fuck, they're here....." The door swung open and Sonia was awestruck but what she saw.

"Gundam? The creepy guy from earlier?"   
  
"S-Sonia?" 

"Princess? W-wait, did you just call me 'the creepy guy from earlier'?"   
  
"You were being creepy!"   
  
"I...I didn't mean to.....well, come on in and look around. My actual name is Kazuchi Soda." 

"Ooh, is that a Oujia board?" Sonia gazed at the focal point of the living room, a Oujia board carefully nailed above the couch. 

"Gundam did that, but you really can just ignore him...."   
  
"I like it!" Sonia giggled. She always had wanted to get more into that stuff, but her country wasn't exactly a burgeoning trade area. She let Gundham guide her around the apartment and show her where she would be sleeping. _Well, living with Gundham obviously won't be a problem, but I don't know about that other guy...._

"Before you go..." Kazuchi put down the wrench he had been holding. "This is for earlier, to apologize. If you want it." He presented a small wind-up toy that he must have just made. 

_That's....oddly sweet._

\---------------------------------

_One Week Later_

"How did you even fit all this stuff into Chiaki's apartment? Wait, I need to take a break...." Kazuichi sighed as he carried Sonia's stuff down the stairs and into Gundham's van. 

"Only a weak man would complain about carrying things for a dark queen such as Sonia." Gundham snapped. "But not me, because I'm a true supreme overlord." 

"Wait, so I'm a dark queen now?" Sonia asked as she carried her suitcase. 

_Well, the next few months are about to get interesting...._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey uh so i wasn't kidding when i said this was a really slow burn

"Sonia." Kazuichi pounded on his new roommate's door. "If you don't wake up, you're gonna be late for class."

"Aw, shit....I don't wanna go to class today." He heard Sonia's muffled voice from her bedroom.

"Well, I don't want to either. It's Friday, after all, maybe we could just ditch..." Kazuichi considered the option. _Skipping seems less appealing now that I'm actually paying for my classes myself..._ "Here, lessee if there's anything to grab for breakfast and then we'll decide if we wanna go." He opened the fridge, searching past Gundam's egg substitutes and vegetarian bacon to find some breakfast bars. 

He knocked on Sonia's door again. "Delivery for Miss Sonia." 

"Oh, thanks!" Sonia gently took the bar, taking a bite out of it. "Oh, are these...dates?" For the first time, Kazuichi caught a glimpse of the inside of Sonia's room. Unlike her girly personality, her room was strangely devoid of any personal touches- just the absolute necessities. The walls were a blank white, the nightstand and dresser were empty of any adornment. He opened his mouth to ask about it, but then shut it again as Sonia grabbed her backpack. 

It was only during his electronics class that he sent a text to Gundham. Maybe all Sonia needed were people to go shopping with? Or maybe she just didn't have space in Chiaki's apartment...or maybe she couldn't afford decorations for her room? He still felt like he didn't really know how to talk to her about it.

_r u free tonight_

His phone started to chirp, and he rushed to mute it.

_Kazuichi? You never text. Is everything alright?_

Kazuichi sighed. It was weird talking to Gundham about things that didn't just involve their shared living space. 

_was wondering if you wanted to go shopping tonight with sonia and me._

_Yes, that sounds acceptable._

_we might need to pitch in a little for it tho_

_No worries. I would contribute any amount for the Dark Queen._

_cool beans_

_I'll pick you up from the apartment at 8 then._

Kazuichi slipped his phone back into his bag. _Geez, when he says it like that, it sounds a little like a date._ He pushed the thought out of his head. Anyways, he decided he would ask Sonia about shopping during their afternoon class together.

\----------------------------

_That Evening_

_Well,all this stuff is pretty weird, but at least she's happy._ Kazuichi had expected Sonia to want to go to a normal homegoods store or something, but instead they ended up stopping at a variety of thrift stores around their city, and Sonia selected a variety of eclectic items for room decor. _This one is literally just a fake skull...at least, I hope it's fake..._ Souda shuddered just looking at it. 

"So, what's your..." Sonia bit her lip, searching for the right word in English."....origin story?" She asked Gundham and Souda.

"Well, it all started when I was born, the child of an angel and a devil....." Gundham began. 

"No, I mean, like, how did you guys become roommates?" 

"Well, we both knew Hajime and he gave us each other's contact info when we were both looking for roommates. Sorry,I know it's pretty boring." Kazuichi explained.

"It's ok, I was just hoping that-is that an Olive Garden?" Sonia pointed at the sign, the earlier topic of conversation forgotten about. "Can we go there? I've always wanted to try it, ever since I moved here." Among nods of assent, the trio made their way into the quintessential dining chain.

"Can I have a name for the table?" The hostess asked. 

Gundham approached the hostess. "You may call me Gundham Tanaka, Supreme Overlord of Ice. May you never forget it for as long as you live."

"O-okay." The hostess handed him a pager. "Wait time will be about fifteen minutes." 

Since it was a Friday night, the place was packed with couples and families. As they were being led to their seats, Kazuichi tried not to notice all the couples surrounding them. _And I'm 23 and have never even been in a relationship._ He had been on a few dates here and there, but they had never really panned out. _And then I had a crush on my best friend. My straight male best friend. And now he has a girlfriend._

He shook himself out of his thoughts and watched Sonia carefully examine each entry on the Olive Garden menu with a sense of wonder in her eyes, and watched Gundam feed pieces of breadstick to his hamsters under the table, and couldn't help but smile. Originally, he had just seen them as a hot girl and a roommate, but now he knew they were two of the most unique people he had ever met. 

"Aw, this is just like that wall hanging at the thrift store! Good food, good drinks, and good friends!" Sonia cheerfully stirred her Sprite.

"Friends, huh?" Kazuichi asked. Sonia made the jump from acquaintances to friends, rather quickly.

"We're hanging out, that makes us real friends, right?"   
  
"According to the social rules of human beings, I would define this as a friendship, yes." Gundham nodded. 

_So I guess this is the start of our origin story._


	3. Chapter 3

For as long as he could remember, Gundham Tanaka had always hated human touch. Even in elementary school, he remembered trying to skip gym class so he wouldn't have to deal with playing sports with his classmates. He would claim he had poisoned flesh, and while he got a fair share of strange looks, he was usually never one to care about what people thought of him. _They're all pathetic mortals anyways._

"Gundham!" Sonia called him over as the stream of customers at the cafe started to slow down. "I found this really cool set of tarot cards,and I was wondering if you could teach me how to read them? Maybe when I'm done with finals?" 

"Yes, that sounds acceptable." Well, _maybe not everyone is a pathetic mortal. _Sonia didn't just tolerate his eccentricities, she actually shared some of his interests, and they could talk for hours about the history of Friday the 13th. 

"O-okay, awesome!" Sonia brushed back a lock of her long blonde hair.

"Aww, does Sonia have a crush on someone?" Hiyoko said in a sing-song tone as she passed by, handing a pile of papers to each of them. "Here, hang these up." 

"Hiyoko, some of us aren't in middle school anymore." Sonia sighed as she unfolded a poster. "What are these?" 

Gundham looked over her shoulder. "It truly looks like some sort of ancient curse to cause chaos." He said, sharing a smile with Sonia. 

"Excuse you, they are _marketing materials_!" Hiyoko puffed out her cheeks. "Since we have our limited edition menu of cold drinks and snacks, we want to advertise Monomi's as the perfect place for a springtime date! Or even better, a proposal!"

Gundham and Sonia went out onto the city streets to hang up the posters on telephone polls and billboards, a comfortable silence hanging between them, but Hiyoko's words still rang in his ears. _Does Sonia have a "crush" on me? _

Gundham was pretty clueless when it came to matters of the human heart, but he really wasn't getting the sense that Sonia saw him as anything more than a good friend who she could share her interests with. _No, Hiyoko probably just said that to "get under our skin" as people say._

"Crap, I have to go to my group study session. See you later, Gundham!" Sonia started to jog towards the bus stop, clocking out of work on her phone. 

When Gundham came back to the cafe, he found that Hiyoko's marketing strategy had worked. Usually, they didn't have a lot of afternoon customers, but today the place was filled with couples. Gundham tried his best to push romance out of his mind, but it seemed impossible. With romance usually came the expectation of physical contact, with kissing and cuddling and more...intimate activities. _And Sonia usually loves to hug her friends, so she would also probably want that in a romantic relationship. Which is something I don't know if I could give._

_Not that it matters. She doesn't have romantic feelings for me, and I don't have romantic feelings for her. I'm just overthinking, and that's unfitting of the future of the Tanaka Empire._

\----------------------------------------------------

Later that day, Gundham was updating his blog on breeding animals when Kazuichi and Sonia walked into the apartment, grocery bags in Kazuchi's hand. 

"Hey, Gundham!" Sonia chimed as she pulled out a frozen dinner from a bag and started heating it up. "Thanks again for carrying the bags, Kazuchi!"

"Anything for a pretty lady!" Kazuichi grinned, and Sonia playfully rolled her eyes. At least Gundham hoped it was playful. _He obviously really likes her._

"Hey, Sonia, guess what?" Souda opened up a bag of flour and dipped his finger in it, waiting for her to turn around before gently booping her in the nose with the flour. "Got your nose!" Sonia froze in shock for a second, before a devilish grin spread over her face. 

"Oh, you are so going down." She dipped her fingers in flour before leaving a trail of flour from Kazuichi's cheeks to the top of his mechanic suit. 

"My outfit!" A war of flour retaliation between Sonia and Kazuichi continued across the kitchen for the next ten minutes, both of them breaking out into peals of laughter as flour ended up getting strewn all over the floor. Sonia nearly slipped, but Kazuichi deftly caught her around her waist, almost dipping her like they were in some sort of a ballroom dance. Gundham half expected it to be a sneak attack by Sonia, but instead they just stood there in the kitchen, unmoving, their eyes locked. 

"Thank you. For catching me.” Sonia brushed flour off her shirt, suddenly all business, leaving Kazuichi's grasp. "We really should clean this up, we've made quite the mess." After a quick and strangely silent clean-up, Sonia's chipper smile returned to her face. "Anyways, I'm gonna go eat in the living room-there's a horror movie marathon on if anyone wants to join me!" 

"Geez, I'll never understand girls." Kazuichi sighed as he put his plate into the microwave.

Gundham suddenly shut his laptop. "Kazuichi, do you think it's...weird...that I hate being touched?"   
  
The mechanics student looked him up and down, leaning against the countertop. "I mean, it's not the strangest thing about you?" 

"If it is not a burden, would you mind helping me try to overcome it?"

"Wait, it actually bothers you? I thought you were Mr. Dark Forbidden Ruler and all that." Kazuichi stayed quiet for a minute, formulating a plan in his mind. "Well, uh, we could try....exposure therapy?"  
  
"Exposure therapy?" 

"I'll get as close to you as I possibly can, and then I'll, like, touch your hand until you ask me to stop, okay?"

"Okay." Gundham nodded. He let Kazuichi take a step closer to him, and then another, until he was well within Gundham's usual personal bubble. Gundham could feel himself start to sweat, but he took a sharp breath in, letting Kazuichi lean in, standing on tiptoes to try to match Gundham's height. He stared into Souda's eyes, being struck by the intense pink-violet color, his upturned nose, the lips that parted to show fang-like teeth.

He could feel his face start to flush.

"That's enough for today." He abruptly backed away from Kazuichi. "Although I do commend you for helping me." 

"Anytime." Kazuichi said casually as he grabbed his plate and stepped inside the living room. _I may as well join them._ Gundham also heated up some of his vegan leftovers and sat in between Kazuichi and Sonia on the couch, where they were watching _The Texas Chainsaw Massacre_. As the movie went on, Sonia yawned and started to doze off to sleep, and as she was sleeping, her head touching Gundham's shoulder, as light as a feather.

_How does she find it possible to sleep through this? She truly has the power of a demon._

Normally, Gundham would have woken her up because of his revulsion to touch, but she didn't look anything like the humanity he despised- the people who betrayed and hurt each other for no reason at all. Instead, she looked perfectly peaceful and innocent, almost beautiful.

And then Kazuichi fell asleep on his other arm. _I guess they were both up late last night studying for finals?_ He could still hear Kazuichi sleep-muttering information from his mechanics classes. Again, Gundham didn't feel particularly bothered by the feeling of Kazuichi's head on his shoulder. The sleep-talking was actually kind of...cute? 

"Gundham, I'm so sorry!" Sonia apologized as she woke up, pulling her head off his shoulder. "I know you don't like being touched, and I-" She noticed Kazuichi asleep on his other shoulder. "- _we_ fell asleep on you." 

"You don't need to apologize like that. It isn't fitting of a Dark Queen. Maybe it's because you were asleep, but I actually didn't mind." 

"Oh, that's good." Sonia breathed a sigh of relief. "And I woke up right on time for the next one to start!" 

"Sonia." He asked hesitantly. "Does it bother you that we don't hug or anything like you do with Chiaki or with other people?" 

"Of course not! I'm still so happy we're friends."

_Friends. She's so happy we're friends. And I'm perfectly fine with that too._

_Right?_


	4. Chapter 4

"So how do you think you did?" Sonia asked, taking a sip of what Kazuichi called a "Slushie". They had just finished the last of their finals, and were now free for summer break. 

"Uhm...probably aced it. I mean, definitely aced it. I'm just that kind of a guy, you know? Brains and brawn. That's what they call boyfriend material." Kazuichi gave her a flirtatious look. 

"I'm sure you could set anything you set your mind to, even if that means actually getting some brains and some brawn." Sonia smiled innocently. Some part of her really enjoyed teasing Kazuichi whenever he tried to flirt with her. 

"Very funny." Kazuichi ran a hand through his dyed hair. "Anyways, got any big summer plans?"  
  
"Probably just picking up more shifts at Monomi's, but I also have a list of all the new stuff that I want to try for my first summer in America!" Sonia pulled out her phone and showed her list off to Kazuichi.   
  
He scrolled through her list, smiling as he did so. "This is actually really cute." 

"Cute, hm?" She could tell that he wasn't just saying it to try to hit on her, but because he actually did find it endearing. When she got a rare glimpse of Kazuichi's actual affection for her, she didn't quite know how to react. _How much of it is because of who I really am, and how much of it is because of who he thinks I am?_

\---------------------------------

Sonia was grateful that Chiaki had invited her along to get drinks with her friends, but rapid-fire English conversation in a big group of people lead to her usually being very confused. Luckily, the conversation drifted to dating and men, which is something Sonia could much more easily relate to. 

"What about you, Sonia?" Mahiru asked. "Do you have your eyes on anyone?" 

Sonia blushed and stared into the dark liquid of her drink. "I actually do."

"Really?" All the other girls seemed audibly shocked. "Tell us about him!" 

"Well, he's ..." She searched for the right words to describe Gundham. "...hella passionate, and intelligent, and intense but in a good way, and he has this side of him that's so goddamn compassionate and caring...." 

"He sounds wonderful." Chiaki put a hand on Sonia's shoulder. 

"Oh, he is. I just don't know if he likes me as more than a friend." Sonia brushed back a lock of her hair. 

"Has he ever asked you out on a date, or bought you flowers, or anything like that?" Mahiru asked, and Sonia shook her head, almost giggling at the idea of Gundham buying someone flowers."Men are very simple- they either like you or they don't, and if they like you, they'll let you know. So be as direct as you can and try to find out, because mixed signals don't mean anything." 

"Mhm." Deep in her heart, Sonia knew Mahiru was right. Even if she didn't want her to be.

\--------------------------------

"I think Kazuichi's, like, waiting for his date or something." Hiyoko, Sonia, and Gundham watched Kazuichi from behind the counter at Monomi's. His hair looked freshly washed and slicked back into a ponytail, and he was dressed in a collared shirt and nice jeans, compulsively checking his phone and sipping a giant iced coffee. _Well, it's not really any of my business...._

Sonia shrugged and headed back to the break room, where she and Gundham hung out pretty much whenever there weren't customers. Recently, they had been playing a lot of chess, even though Sonia usually lost.

"Checkmate." Gundham effortlessly captured her queen and put her into checkmate in one move. 

"Dammit. You're pretty good at this, maybe you could teach people as a side gig." Sonia smiled, petting one of his Devas. 

"You're getting better." Gundham said matter of factly. "I have demon blood, these sorts of games come more naturally to me."

"So, Kazuichi is going on a date." Sonia scratched the back of her neck. "Would you....would you ever want to go on a date...." She trailed off, not wanting to say the unspoken words on the tip of her tongue. 

A million expressions seemed to flit through Gundham's face before he spoke. "I am a future supreme leader and heir of the Tanaka empire. I have cursed flesh, and am the offspring of an angel and a demon. I don't.....date puny mortals." 

"Right." Sonia took a moment to process her emotions, letting them hit her like a wave. "I...I have to go to the bathroom." Sonia left her seat and went inside the women’s restroom, locking herself inside a stall, resting her back against the cool marble as she tried to wipe away tears. _I think he just rejected me. I let myself like him so, so much, and I don't even know he really feels._ She slid to the floor, pulling her knees in and hugging herself. _How fucking stupid could I be?_

_I just see some guy with cute animals and weird fashion sense, and for the first time I feel like I've met someone who completely understands me, and I just fall for him, right? God, I'm such a mess._

She peeked outside the bathroom. Kazuichi's date still hadn't shown up, and he looked more and more agitated by the minute. _At least maybe one of us can save face today._ Sonia threw some cold water on her face and walked out of the bathroom and up to his table, sliding into the seat across from him.

"Well, you look different from your profile picture." He half-laughed.

"Just play along-" She was cut off by Gundham's appearance at their table. "Gundham?" 

"Hiyoko told us we could clock out. You two look like you've been cursed, so I think I'm going to take you both to a place known to break curses." 

"You guys look like your dog died! Get out of here!" Hiyoko called at them.

\--------------------------------

The trio rode in silence for a good twenty minutes as their city gave way to countryside, and Sonia caught a glimpse of what looked like a ferris wheel. 

"Are we going to a....a fair?" Sonia perked up in excitement. This had been one of the first things on her summer to-do list! They did have fairs in Novoselic, but she had wanted to experience a uniquely American fair for the first time.

"I didn't know Dark Lords went to fairs." Kazuichi smirked. 

"Well, not just any fair, a county fair. I'm also an animal raiser and I was actually a gold medal winner for six years in the small animal division here." 

When they finally reached their destination, Sonia was dazzled by the sight of the fair - the lights of the rides, the sounds of people everywhere, the smell of popcorn and caramel apples and cotton candy. _Everything is so beautiful here._ They ended up going to the animal exhibitions first - with tons of horses, cows, pigs, and eventually the small animal tent.

"Oh my God, is that you as a kid?" She pointed to the hall of fame of past winners. There was Gundham as a child, gap-toothed and wide eyed, Gundham as a gawky tween, Gundham as an goth teenager wearing all black and too much eyeliner. _I guess he's still technically a goth now..._ _.._

"Yes, those were before I achieved my final form." Gundham nodded. 

As the evening went on, they went around to all the rides, and Sonia got to experience a roller coaster and tilt-a-whirl for the first time, as well as classic fair food. As the fair started to wind down, they passed by rows of fair games, and she noticed a dart game that was giving away giant stuffed animals as prizes. 

"Here you go!" She slid the employee a few dollars and he gave her some darts. She tried a few times to hit the target, but was still nowhere near the prize-winning zones. 

"Never fear, Miss Sonia, I will win that stuffed toy for you!" Kazuichi dramatically slammed 10 dollars down on the counter and got a huge handful of darts. He threw and missed....every single time. 

Gundham gave the employee (who was starting to get a bewildered look on their face) one dollar, and got three darts, easily tossing one into the bullseye on the first try. 

"Which stuffed animal do you want, Sonia?"   
  
"I'll take the dolphin!" Minutes later, Sonia nestled a bright blue dolphin in her arms. "Thanks, Gundham! And thanks Kazuichi, you really gave it your best shot." At that exact moment, fireworks started to light up the night sky. "Fireworks!" 

Sonia had seen fireworks a few times before, but tonight felt really special for some reason. All of the doubt and angst from the past day that she and Kazuichi had felt seemed to completely be wiped away as they watched the fireworks with a sense of wonder in their eyes. Maybe it was because of the people that she was with that made it so special.

The ride back home was quiet,with Kazuichi sleeping soundly in the back, and Gundham and Sonia looked up at the night sky, the stars finally visible since they were out in the countryside. 

"Did you have fun tonight?" Gundham asked.   
  
"Absolutely!" She smiled and hugged her stuffed animal tight. "I'm sure Kaz did too, even though he would probably never admit that to you."

"Good. You know, usually I believe that anything that can talk will betray you. That's why I'm a lot closer to animals than people....but you're different from most humans. In a good way." 

"....thank you." Sonia hoped it was too dark for him to notice the palpable blush on her face. Maybe there had been some truth in what Mahiru said, that mixed signals meant nothing, that Gundham either liked her or he didn't, but Sonia also couldn't discount everything Gundham had done for her. _Besides, Gundham is no ordinary man, he's a Dark Lord. And my feelings for him are real, even if it makes me foolish to feel that way._

_I'm in love with him, and I'm not giving up on him yet._


	5. Chapter 5

“This is so exciting! I haven’t been to a play in years- let alone an outdoors one!” Sonia carefully spread out the blanket for her and Gundham. Kazuichi has gone to visit some high school friends for his birthday, so Sonia has asked Gundham if he wanted to go to a community theater show. Gundham was secretly a bit jealous of Kazuichi- he really didn't have any friends from high school. _Well, Kazuichi has them because he's a social chameleon. Anyways, I'm with Sonia, and she's worth a hundred mere mortals from my high school._

"Yes, it has been a while since I have partaken in one of these bewitching rituals as well." Gundham inspected the brochure for _Cinderella_ , the play they were about to watch. Neither he nor Sonia would have picked the play as their first choice, but the plays that the park put on probably had to be more family friendly. 

As the sun started to set over them, the play started, and Sonia watched the performance with wide eyes, gasping at all the quick changes and special effects. _Sonia really is like a fairytale princess._ Gundham thought to himself. _Kind, gentle, hard-working, open minded, loves animals....she also swears a lot and has an interest in serial killers, but that really only increases my fondness for her..._ _.....and of course, she deserves someone like a prince then._ Gundham felt suddenly protective. 

After the play ended, the meadow was flooded with kids and families and couples walking way too slowly, so Gundham and Sonia just stayed on their blanket, an oasis of calm in the midst of chaos. 

Sonia collapsed back onto the blanket, sighing. "I wish I could find love like the prince and Cinderella. Just looking in someone's eyes and knowing for sure..."   
  
"I imagine that would be a useful skill, yes. Actually, mind reading would be useful for many demonic arts."

"Well, I guess real love is kinda like..." Sonia drew circles in the blanket with her fingers. "...you're willing to put their happiness before your own. Or something. Although, you are correct that mind reading would be useful for dark magic and such. Maybe we should try a spell for it when we get home."

\-----------------------

It was past one in the morning, but Kazuichi stood on the balcony, can of hard cider in his hands. _God, I still can't get him out of my head...._

Just because you'd never been in a serious relationship didn't mean you had never been in love before. Kazuichi knew that a little too well. He still remembered his old friend from right after he had moved to this city, trusting him more than anyone else, falling so completely for him that he had been totally surprised when the other man had said that he loved him _back,_ when video game binges turned into waking up in bed together the next morning. His lover whispering, _"I'm straight, but you're my exception, Kaz."_

Kazuichi gave him everything, but it wasn't enough. No matter how hard he tried, they could never really be together, not when his secret lover had a budding political career, and friends to impress, and parents and a family that wanted him to be with a woman. And one day, he found just the right woman. And he left, like Kazuichi never even existed. 

And then Kazuichi realized he wasn't alone on the balcony.

"Why the hell are you still awake?" Kazuichi asked, coming off a bit ruder than he intended. 

"I'm above sleep." Gundham said haughtily. "Why are you out here brooding? What's troubling your mortal mind?" 

"Just.....humans, as a whole, are bastards who betray you, you know?" Kazuichi took a swallow of his hard cider. 

"That...has generally been my belief as well." Gundham stood a comfortable distance away from him, leaning across the railing of the balcony. "I am not well suited to human interpersonal detail, but if you would like to go into further detail, I would listen." 

_Goddammit, he's such a nice person behind all that occult mumbo-jumbo, it drives me nuts._ He was secretly pretty jealous of the fact that Sonia seemed to prefer Gundham to him, but he knew Gundham was a good person at his core, so it was difficult to hate him for it. 

"Just, I had feelings for someone and they liked me back, but uhm, they left me for someone more...." He searched for the right words. "....socially acceptable, you know?"

"I am sorry that happened." Gundham nodded intently. "If it's any consolation, you appear to be a socially acceptable partner to me." 

“Well, we were both guys, so that’s why.” Kazuichi stared at the concrete floor of the balcony. “I’m bisexual.”

It took Gundham a while to respond and instantly Kazuichi wondered if he had fucked up. He had never even considered the possibility that Gundham might not be comfortable living with him after that....

”Sorry, it’s taking me a while to come up with a good response.” Gundham said thoughtfully. It was strangely out of character for the man who seemed to always have such a concrete persona. “It’s just surprising, since you spend so much time talking about the Dark Queen, and following her around like a lost puppy, and....”

”OK, OK, I get it.” Kazuichi cut Gundham off.   
  
“How did you know?” Gundham asked suddenly. 

“Well, freshman year of high school I kissed a guy on a dare and really liked it, but I also knew I was interested in girls, so that’s basically when I knew.” They were both leaning over the balcony railing, having gotten closer and closer as the two of them talked. He could see Gundham's earring swaying in the night ring, his piercing gray eyes staring into his own. Even though it was early July, he was still wearing his trademark scarf and the rest of his eclectic fashion ensemble. "N-not that you need to kiss someone to know if you like them or not." _And we're both still leaning in....and I'm still talking for some reason...._ "It's just chemistry, you know? You either feel it or you don't." 

Kazuichi was the first one to pull away, awkwardly jerking back. "You know, you really don't give a fuck about what anyone else thinks of you, do you? I kind of respect that. Not that it means I'm gonna give up Sonia for you or anything." 

"I...accept your attempt at flattery." 

———————————

"So, this is a....taco." Sonia rolled the foreign word in her mouth as she stared down the plate of Mexican food at the local restaurant that she, Kazuichi, and Gundham had gone to. "I eat it with my hands, correct? How do I fit it all into my mouth?" 

"Here, you gotta go like this." Kazuichi took a bite of his taco while Sonia intently watched. "Not to brag, but I do know one of the musicians here tonight, Hajime, and maybe we could even meet him afterwards."  
  
"Oh, that would be lovely." Sonia took a sip of her drink. Gundham wasn't really sure why he had been invited, as it seemed like this was an obvious effort for Kazuichi to impress Sonia. At least Sonia seemed to enjoy his presence, so he didn't feel like too much of a third wheel. "You know a lot of musicians, Kazuichi?"   
  
"Yeah, actually my friend Leon even taught me how to play the guitar a little bit....the trick is...." Kazuichi's ramblings and the live music faded away as Gundham lost himself in thought again. For all his flaws, Kazuichi really did care about Sonia. _And if they started dating, everything would be perfect, right?_ Kazuichi Souda was part of the world Sonia always _wanted_ to be in, a world of normalcy and friends and guitar playing and averageness. The world that Gundham would never be in. 

And he would be left behind. But it would be worth it, if Sonia was happy.

_....because love means caring about someone else's happiness above your own, right?_

Realization dawned on him, as he watched Sonia diligently try to wipe sour cream off her nose. He had always thought love was just some strange chemical amalgamation, a biological necessity, but he knew what he felt wasn't shallow attraction, because he was....

_I'm in love with her._


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> damn im sorry this chapter is kinda short i just wanted to update! i'll have a longer chapter in a few days and also wow was not kidding when I said it was a slow burn

_Sonia Nevermind, you are a living enigma._

It was a hazy summer day, Sonia hadn't gotten as many shifts as she wanted at Monomi's, and the bike shop Kazuichi used to work at had shut down, so they were just spending the day in the apartment watching _Family Feud_. Sonia was at the coffee table working on some DIY project, a photo collage of sorts. Looking over at her photos, there were photos of Sonia and Chiaki, Sonia and her other American friends, Sonia and him and Gundham (which was oddly heartwarming, that Kazuichi had been included), Sonia at the statue of liberty with the international student's club. But there weren't any pictures of Novoselic, or her family, or her friends from before she moved. 

_Maybe she has a past that she wants to forget about too._

"Hey, uhm....Sonia." He scratched the back of his neck. "That time when you pretended to be my date after they stood me up.....that was really cool of you. You're cool. Like, in general." 

"Damn right I'm cool." She smirks up at him. "But it's seriously no big deal. I know you would have done the same for me." 

An air of unspoken words hangs between them. This is the other thing about Sonia- he never really knows how to act around her. She's cheerful and pleasant with a will of iron and a tendency towards the weird, and he would do almost anything to be liked by other people. 

Gundham slammed the door open, and Kazuichi nearly jumped off the couch. 

"Everyone." He looked at the only two people in the room. "I do not normally ask for mortal assistance but the archdemon would like me to acquire her hellish offspring from their temporary mortal caregivers." 

"So.....your sister needs you to pick up your nieces from summer camp?" Sonia clarified. "And you want us to come with you?" _How the hell can she understand him?_

"In plain terms, yes." 

_Well, it's never a dull moment with these two...._

\----------------------------------------

"Aww, this place is so cute!" Sonia remarked as they walked around the summer camp. She had attended a sleepaway camp in Novoselic to learn ladylike sports such as horseback riding, archery, and swimming, but this camp seemed to have a lot more activities, and a wider age range of students. 

"Alright, here you guys are!" The camp counselor opened a room and immediately two little girls ran at Gundham and attached themselves to his legs.

"These are my nieces. Miho is seven, and Momo is two." Gundham said very formally. "Miho, Momo, this is Sonia Nevermind and this is Kazuichi Souda. They're...uhm...my friends." Sonia still beamed whenever he called them that, since it must be rare for Gundham to consider anyone a friend. "I shall sign the paperwork for their release, and then we shall depart for the arboretum, or as the common mortals call it, the 'park'." 

"I think everyone just calls it the park." Kazuichi commented.

"OH MY GOSH. You are so pretty!" Miho ran up to Sonia, tugging at her hair. "How did you get your hair to grow so long? Can I braid it? Mommy took me to buy some new barrettes at Claire's so we could use those....Are you gonna marry Uncle Gundham? You look like a princess- do you like Disney?"

"I WANT UNCLE GUNDHAM BACK!" Momo immediately burst into tears.

"Oh god...Sonia, make her stop crying!" Kazuichi whined.  
  
"What, just because I'm a girl, I know everything about kids? I don't know what I'm doing! You make her stop!" 

"Uhm......oh, here!" Kazuichi shuffled through his pockets until he found a wind-up toy he had been working on. 

"OH!" Momo's eyes got wide as she watched the toy. Then she tried to eat it, but Sonia guessed that's how kids were.

"I...really appreciate you two coming along to help." Gundham mentioned to Sonia as they got in the car a few minutes later. "For all my many and varied talents as a supreme overlord, I am a little behind on affairs of the mortal world." 

"I'm always happy to help, but I don't think you need to worry so much! Your nieces seem to really love you!"   
  
"Yes, but I know I am often considered 'strange' and 'different'."   
  
"Only by people who don't matter." Sonia tried to give him a comforting smile. "And trust me, most people don't. I've had plenty of people say bad stuff about me, but you can't let them bring you down!"

"I could not possibly imagine anyone slandering the name of the Dark Princess." Gundham seemed almost shocked that anyone would dare to criticize her. "What lies could their feeble minds have even attempted to tell?" 

Sonia bit her lip. Gundham certainly was very different from other people, but there was no telling that he wouldn't judge her.

"....it doesn't matter anymore. I have trouble even remembering." That last part was a lie, but perhaps it really didn't matter anymore,not when she had Gundham, and Chiaki, and Kazuichi, and the other friends that she had made along the way.

”Well, I am always here if you would like assistance to hex or curse your enemies. Or just talk.”

She couldn’t help but smile. “I’d like that.” 

They weren't touching, a comfortable distance between them as they drove to the park, but they didn't need to for her heart to feel warm.


	7. Chapter 7

"This is officially twenty times more bougie than anything my family stayed in when we used to go to the beach." Kazuichi's eyes widened as he looked around the reception area of the hotel, with its pristine glass doors and shell-laden walls. They all had a few days off from work, so Sonia suggested that they spend a long weekend at the beach. 

Gundham stared down at his scarf and coat. He still dressed in his usual attire despite the fact that it was the beach, and also the middle of summer. Sonia had worried that he'd overheat, but he promised to drink lots of water. 

_Luckily, it seems that my affections for Sonia have not gotten in the way of our usual friendship, nor are Kazuichi and I really fighting each other over her._

"Wow, Sonia, you're such a sugar mommy...." Kazuichi leaned in. 

"Stop being a little weirdo or I'm going to make you do jumping jacks outside." 

_Instead, it seems like most of the bickering is between the Dark Queen and the young mortal. What a fascinating development....I really do not understand humans at all._

"Ah...Sonia, have you traveled to the beach before?" 

"I used to go to a lake cabin with my parents in Novoselic- but this place has a ton more things to do!" Sonia clutched a guidebook in her hands. "For example, this hotel is known for its great poolside service!" 

"Uhm....I should have told you this sooner, but I am not....not very effective against water types." 

"Oh, you can't swim? That's okay! I think a lot of people just go to the beach to relax. You can borrow some of my beach reads, if you want to!" Sonia suggested. "I have _The Osage Murders and The Birth of the FBI, One Woman's Search For the Golden State Killer...._ oh! But if you wanted something more lighthearted, I also have _Beauty and the Brooding Billionaire, Carrying Her Boss's Baby, Her Greek Island Fling...."_

\----------------------------

"Ok, we're definitely taking an Uber on the way back." Kazuichi practically collapsed onto the sand. The guidebook said this specific beach was the perfect place to watch the sunset, so Sonia had insisted that they walk over. 

"Ah, it's so beautiful here!" She twirled around in the early evening sun. "My guidebook says this was voted the most romantic beach in the state!" 

".....r-romantic?" Gundham's face turned almost as red as a tomato. "I do suppose the surroundings would lead mortals to call it that, yes....." _For a guy with such a superiority complex, he sure gets flustered whenever romance is brought up...._ Kazuchi chuckled to himself. _It's kind of cute in a way.....ok, no, that's weird. Endearing. That's a safer word._

"I think that guy is even proposing over there!" Sonia said cheerily. "Aw, that reminds me of the time I got engaged!"

"You've been WHAT?" Kazuichi and Gundham said at the same time. 

"Well, I'm not engaged anymore, obviously." Sonia shrugged. 

"Why'd you break up?" 

Sonia ran her fingers over the sand. "I knew in my heart that I didn't truly love him, as he should have been loved. Everyone thought I was making a mistake by breaking it off...and maybe..." She looked over at the newly engaged couple. "Maybe I did. But then I wouldn't have met the both of you, and everyone else...and maybe everything happens for a reason." She brushed off her feelings, like brushing the sand off her fingers. "Anyways. I'm twenty-three, I don't need to be married." 

"I think you made the right decision, She-Cat." Gundham said, with a conviction in his voice that went beyond his usual Dark Lord persona. 

"Yeah, me too. Miss Sonia? Married to some shmuck? Not on my watch!" 

True to Sonia's guidebook, there were certainly a lot of couples on the beach. _I think we're the only three people who aren't in a relationship here....._ Kazuichi thought to himself. Usually, he would worry about what other people thought about them, but his companions were off in their own world. 

"...so the Hesperides were typically known as the Greek goddesses of sunset, but were also the holders of the golden apple that was used in..." He could hear Gundham explaining some mythological concept to Sonia, and leaned in to listen, drawing circles in the sand with his fingers. Kazuichi would typically be jealous of all the people in loving relationships, yet tonight, that feeling was absent from his heart.

_Maybe their eccentricities are rubbing off on me...or maybe I’m just getting used to being alone._

Hell, he had even deleted Tinder off his phone just last week. He was still insecure about his single relationship status, but with Sonia and Gundham around all the time, he really didn't have a burning need for romance in his life anymore. 

"OK, everyone, let's take a quick picture for the collage!" 

\--------------------------

"This is officially my new happy place." Sonia gazed down the lines of restaurants and shops at the cute beach town - each with its own design, and the shops carrying everything from souvenirs, to Christmas ornaments, to a variety of handmade soaps. "Oh my God, we have to go in this one!" She opened the door of a candy shop with a miniature mechanical ferris wheel in the front window, and started examining the boxes of saltwater taffy. 

"This is pretty different then when we were kids, right, Gundham?" 

"Hm?" 

"My family went to the beach growing up, but it always that this weird undertone of obligation, like we had to all spend some mandated time together. But her? She's just here because she loves being here." He gestured to Sonia, who was excitedly trying a sample of fudge for the first time. 

"Yes, her enthusiasm for life is certainly infectious." Gundham commented, and Kazuichi started staring daggers at him. 

"Now, don't think you can say one nice thing about her and I'm just gonna give up and stop fighting for her!" 

_I think this is a rather one sided fight......_

"Were you unhappy with your blood relations, Kazuichi?"   
  
"Sure as shit wasn't happy with 'em." Kazuichi inspected the mechanical ferris wheel. "I remember the first night after I moved out- most freeing thing I ever did. Happiest day of my fucking life....Sonia, are you buying dessert wine?" 

"Yeah, we can have a party in our room later tonight!" Sonia grinned. 

\--------------------------

"What... _hic._....happened?" Sonia touched her bleeding knee with wide eyes. 

"You got wasted, and scraped your knee on the balcony. We didn't know that you had like, barely ever had booze before." Kazuichi dabbed at her knee with a washcloth. "Well, you're still wasted, I guess." 

"Where'd Gundham go?" She patted the seat next to her, like a little drunk detective. "He was right. Here."   
  
"He did some online research and thought eating some food might sober you up, so he went to get some. Not that I really trust his brand of science. If you have a hangover tomorrow, we can just deal with it then." He tried to apply a bandaid to her knee. "Stop moving, dummy." It was an interesting twist on their usual dynamic. 

"Don't call me dummy!" Sonia pouted, and crossed her arms. "I'll stay mad at you." 

"Well, you're not gonna remember any of this tomorrow." Kazuichi rolled his eyes, and flipped on the TV. "Now go sit in your bed until Gundham comes back."

"Kaz, do you have a crussshh on someone?" Sonia giggled and almost fell off the bed.   
  
"Yeah. She was really pretty, and kind of unattainable, and I always want what I can't have." _And now I'm gonna spill all my secrets to my drunk crush, who hopefully can't pick up that it's her._

"And now how do you feel about her?" 

"Well, I got to know her more and more, and I realized she was a kind, independent, strong person, and I only like her more. So now it's more real. Sorta scary. I fake flirt with her all the time, but it's a little different. I don't think she knows."   
  
"Are you gonna tell her?" 

"Nah. There's a lot going on. More complex than you can understand right now."   
  
"You should have hope! Hope always wins in the end..." Sonia started singing a very off key version of a theme song from a superhero show.   
  
"Hope's a dangerous thing, Nevermind." 

"SONIA!" The door practically crashed open. "Are you alright? Have you fallen deeper into your illness? I have acquired provisions for you...." Gundham reached into his bag and pulled out snacks. 

"Whee, snacks!" Sonia seemed super unfazed by the whole ordeal. 

\------------------------------

It was at breakfast the next morning that Sonia remembered absolutely everything. 

"You know, the orange juice here? Kinda slaps. Wish I could bring some home to Hajime, he really loves orange juice, like this one time...." Kazuichi started retelling the story, and suddenly the events of last night- and Kazuichi's roundabout confession - felt like they were hitting her in the face. _All this time, I thought he only ever just liked me for my looks, but I was wrong._  
  
_....and then how do I feel about him?_ Sonia was in love with Gundham, she knew that for a fact, so she almost felt guilty about any attraction towards Kazuichi. _God, why does everything have to be so complicated?_

"Earth to Sonia?" 

"Dark Queen, have you perhaps been possessed?" 

_Oh my God, we're already on the boardwalk and I hardly noticed._ For the early morning, the boardwalk still felt so strangely alive - bikers, people walking their dogs, the beachside breakfast stops starting to serve their first customers. 

"I'm fine, just still recovering from my hangover." She said noncommittally. _Shit. I think I might have feelings for both of them. Well, I don't have to figure everything out right now...._

"So, what's the game plan for today?" 


	8. Chapter 8

When Kazuichi turned the key into his apartment, the last thing he was expecting to see was Gundham, shirtless, practically halfway into an open vent, balancing on a kitchen chair.

"Kazuichi, you've finally arrived!" Gundham pulled himself out of the vent. "One of my Devas got stuck in the vent so I'm trying to go up and convince him to come out of there." 

"....but...but why are you shirtless?" Kazuichi sputtered. _Shit. He's kinda hot.....I guess he works out or something?_

"It is nearly ninety degrees outside. I did not wish to overheat, so I simply took my coat off." Gundham seemed annoyed by Kazuichi questioning him. 

"Oh....so...you just don't wear a shirt under the coat when it's hot outside....You know your pet will probably just come out when it's hungry right?" 

"Don't call them pets....and I suppose you are correct, but I would feel like a horrid compatriot if I did so." Gundham sighed. _So he would feel guilty about leaving his hamster?_ Gundham's devotion to animals was definitely endearing. 

"I thought it was supposed to get cooler now that it was autumn!" Sonia pouted as she walked in, as if she was giving the weather a royal decree. "Here, perhaps if we offer some treats, your hamster will want to come join us again..." She reached into her bag, pulling out some treats she must have gotten from the local pet shop. 

Thanks to Sonia's suggestion, the hamster finally crawled out of the vent, and Sonia and Gundham were acting like they had just pulled a newborn out of a burning building. 

"Oh, sweet Jum-P, the gods have rescued you from your peril...." 

"This truly is such a miracle..." Sonia gently stroked the hamster's fur, before catching a glimpse of the clock on the wall. "Crap! I have to start getting ready for tonight..."

\------------------------------

 _What am I even doing at a place like this?_ Sonia lifted up the train of her powder-blue dress as she navigated the cruise ship. She had gone on a dinner cruise, which was a speed dating event and then some time to mingle and socialize. When she had told Gundham that she was going, she had hoped that would spark something in him, but he simply wished her well on her endeavors. 

Except the speed dating had gone so absolutely horrible that Sonia wanted nothing more than to leave this damned ship at once. Too many of her so called "speed dates" had basically insulted her to her face. Oh, they thought she was hot and pretty, but that's it. She was told she wasn't "girlfriend material" and that they had "more of a physical connection than an emotional one" after they had spoken for less than five minutes. 

_I want a real relationship._ Over the past few years, Sonia had worked so hard to improve herself, yet everyone just seemed to judge her based off her looks. 

.... _and we still have two and a half hours until we disembark....the only thing that could make turn this around was if....._

"Kazuichi?" 

\-------------------------------

"Sonia?"

_What's she doing at a place like this?_ Kazuichi couldn't imagine Sonia was having a problem attracting a number of suitors, yet the young woman looked like she were about to cry. "What's up? Is everything okay?" 

"Mhm. Forgive me, I'm just being childish." She shrugged. "How's your night been going?" 

"Fine, fine. But seriously, you can talk to me about whatever's bothering you." He said, nervously adjusting his tie.

"It's just....I've tried to change myself for the better, but sometimes I wonder if any of it was worth it." Sonia bit her lip. 

"I've changed a lot about myself too. I used to be this total loser, but then you know, I got my hair dyed and colored contacts and this whole punk persona." 

"Well, if you're happy with yourself, than I suppose that's all that really matters." Sonia reflected. "But you weren't a loser beforehand, I promise." 

_Please. A girl like you would never have even noticed a guy like me._ Kazuichi wanted to say, but he ended up just not saying anything. 

"What's your natural eye color?" 

"Light brown. I can show you what they look like, if you want me to." He effortlessly took out his contacts, blinking a few times. 

"Oh! You have really pretty eyes."   
  
"Stop, you're just saying that..." He could feel his face starting to turn red.   
  
"No, I mean it! Like I bet in the sun, they sparkle and look hella cool!" Sonia moved her hands to the back of her head. "I wear hair extensions. I don't think you've ever seen me without 'em in before...." She bit her lip as she tried to detach the extensions, eventually removing a chunk of long blonde hair. Her natural hair was much shorter, reaching the nape of her neck. 

"I...uh....You look seriously adorable with short hair!" Kazuichi sputtered. He had always questioned how Sonia's hair could grow so long, so the extensions did make sense. 

"Great! I'm happy you think that way." Sonia smiled and then immediately threw her extensions into the ocean, landing in the water with a satisfying plop.

"Sonia! Those had to cost over a hundred dollars!" _Actually, probably way more, based on how well they matched her natural hair....._

"I don't care!" She tossed her head. "It was very....satisfying? No, what's the right English word...cathartic!"   
  
"Here, I'll try it too then." He took his contacts and threw them into the ocean as well. For so long, he had hoped that wearing them would give him some imaginary sense of coolness, but it was strangely freeing to watch them fall. "You're right. That was very cathartic." 

"What are we going to do now?" She asked, staring out into the ocean. 

"Well, the night's young. Try not to think about all those douches you met, and let's just relax and have a good time!" Kazuichi gave her a grin. "There's a dance floor, there's some super fancy snacks, there's...wait, why are you grinning at me like that?" 

She leaned forward, and kissed him on the lips, lasting for less than a second. 

"What....am....are we..are you..." Kazuichi had lost anything resembling coherent speech, but cupped her face with his hands as their lips met again, longer and more passionate, the world fading away around them. 

"Well, let's go explore then!" Sonia said, grasping his hand. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is not in the fic but gundham definitely commits tax evasion.

Gundham was sensing a disturbance in the force. 

He normally felt some level of annoyance around humans, but this disturbance was less annoyance and more....concern. Specifically, his roommates were being awkward. Gundham was not the most equipped person to deal with interpersonal relationships, so he watched their interactions with a degree of concern and a bit of humor. 

"Heyyy, Kazuichi!" Sonia made finger guns as she and Gundham walked through the door. "What's cracking?" 

"Sonia! Gundham!" Kazuichi put down a completely blank Sudoku puzzle."I was just keeping myself busy. Before my roommates come home. Not just roommates, friends!" 

"Yes, friends! Platonic pals, as they say in my country." Sonia opened the fridge, noticed it was empty, and shut it again.

 _Are they mad at each other? I can't even tell anymore._ He thought to himself as they headed to the car for dinner. 

_Perhaps what we need is a cleansing ritual. A restart, if you will._ Sometimes Gundham's mind surprised even himself. He went on his phone to browse weekend getaways, but they all seemed rather overly romantic for his tastes.After a couple minutes, finally he found something that sparked his interest. 

_....an anime convention?_

\--------------------------

Miraculously, the trio managed to get packed, get their tickets booked, and boarded their train within the next couple of hours. Sonia muttered something as she sipped her cream and sugar filled coffee, wrapped a blanket around herself, and plugged in her headphones to watch one of her Japanese dramas, which left Kazuichi and Gundham to awkwardly sit next to each other. Gundham pulled out his phone and started watching live video feed of his hamsters. 

_God, this is so fucking awkward._ Kazuichi thought to himself. _Just me, and my two best friends. One who I kissed and then the other one who I also want to kiss._

"Gundham, were you big into occult stuff when you were younger or was it a more recent thing?" Kazuichi asked, partially to make conversation and partially out of curiosity.

"Oh, no, I was absolutely repugnant in my days of secondary education. I had not awakened my Dark Lord powers yet, so I used to draw fake freckles on and listen to country music. I was even on the cheerleading team." Gundham made a face and stuck out his tongue, which Kazuichi had to admit was pretty adorable. 

"No shame in that, I hear male cheerleaders get a _lot_ of action." 

"Perhaps there are a few facts in my illustrious biography that you have not been made aware of...I was born in a mortal form that was not to my liking so once I freed myself from the prison of systematic education, I changed some legal identification, despite my general disregard for the law, went on a quest to obtain a potent alteration substance, and eventually this past year I paid a medicine man for surgical alterations." Gundham explained casually, or at least casual for him. 

"That's actually pretty awesome, when you describe it as a quest and everything. Geez, I had no idea you even got surgery while we were living together, I just thought you had the flu. I could have driven you home from the hospital or _something_...." 

"We were not well acquainted before the She-Cat moved in." Gundham shrugged. "You don't need to concern yourself with me." _I guess he can talk normally when he wants to, but it's really disconcerting._

"I know that, but I _want_ to be there for you. Even if you really are a Dark Lord, don't they have knights and shit? I'm sure you've helped me out a bunch of times." Kazuichi searched his brain for a good example. "Like...that time I wasn't feeling well and then you said a healing incantation! And then I felt better."   
  
"Well, if you'd like to imagine it as such, I suppose you could repay me for that by 'helping me out' every now and again." 

\-------------------

"..... and there's only one bed." Sonia said as they opened the door to the hotel room. 

"Strange, I had paid for a suite with two beds and a pull out couch...incompetent mortals." Gundham sighed as he looked around the room. Instead of multiple beds, there was simply a huge king-size bed in the middle of the room. "Could we contact them and attempt to arrange a room swap?"

"No, the room is totally filled for the convention." Sonia sat on the edge of the bed. "Well, I can just sleep on the couch, even though it's not a pull out one, since I'm the only girl..." 

"Miss Sonia, I can't let you do that! Gundham paid for the room, so I guess I'll just take the couch...." 

"Here, I have an idea." Sonia started to arrange the assortment of pillows on the bed. "We can just arrange the pillows and separate the bed into thirds, there's more than enough space for all of us if we can just get past the initial awkwardness. There! Now, let's see what stations they have..." She grabbed the remote and started flipping through channels, while Gundham sat down on the other end of the bed, looking through the convention schedule. 

"Yeah, it's kinda like bunk beds at Boy Scout camp."

"Ah, a wholesome American tradition!" Sonia seemed more excited about it than he had ever been. 

"Don't get too hyped, I dropped out as soon as I could." Kazuichi yawned. 

"I also attended such a camp, in one of my mother's many attempts to help me 'socialize with other teenagers'. Luckily, I gained the skill of 'Magic: The Gathering' so it was not a complete waste of my time." Gundham explained. 

"Maybe we should make s'mores in the microwave..." Sonia mused as she crawled underneath the covers, settling herself in between Kazuichi and Gundham. It was strangely comforting to be so close to them, to see Gundham without his eyeliner and Kazuichi with his glasses on. 

_I wish we could stay like this forever._ She thought as she drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow what will happen at the anime convention we shall see


End file.
